


The Punk Singer

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1990s, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, F/F, F/M, Feminist Steve Rogers, M/M, Natasha Romanov Has Issues, Past Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers & Sam Wilson Friendship, Strangers to Lovers, Tony Stark Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24710191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Fall 1990. Olympia, Washington. Bucky Barnes is sick and tired of a lot of things. So is his on-again/off-again girlfriend Natasha. But what happens when they both meet someone new?Or, two outspoken feminists meet two shy, sheltered people.
Relationships: Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau, James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	The Punk Singer

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t written fanfic in so long and tbh I don’t even know if this will get finished ahaha.

CHAPTER ONE: Shitlist

  
Bucky Barnes had a shitlist. It was long and it lived in a worn out dark blue leather notebook he got when he visited his sister in Portland. The shitlist, like Bucky’s mouth, seemed to never stop. Bucky was loud, it was in his nature. That’s why when Natasha, his on-again, off-again, slightly toxic “girlfriend” called him on the phone the week after he dropped out of college offering him to join her “newly formed, didn’t even have a name yet” band he lept at the opportunity. Because, in her words, “It’ll change your life, Buck. And hey, you only live once, right?”

“Look, Nat, do you even have anybody who would want to join the band?” Bucky twirled the phone cord in his hand. He had just gotten out of the shower when the phone rang. Natasha sighed. Clearly, she hadn’t created a plan yet.

“Well, we have the lead singer- me, and a guitarist- you. We just need drums and bass, which shouldn’t be too hard to find, right?” Bucky rolled his eyes. He leaned back in the brass colored armchair. His hair was slipping out of the hasty bun he tied it in after getting out of the shower.

“Natasha, Jesus, do you even think sometimes? This is the 20th idea you’ve came up with this month alone. You need to think before you come calling me every time.” Bucky’s New York accent had come out. He was pissed, and Nat could tell. She was good at telling when people were mad. That and singing were about her only talents.

Natasha sighed, “Look, Buck, if you don’t wanna do it, you don’t have to do it. I’m not making you do it.” Bucky knew what she was getting at. She was trapping him. It was like she was the spider and he was the fly. He was stuck in her web and he wasn’t gonna get out anytime soon.

“No, I-I wanna do it, Nat, trust me,” he sighed, “ just put up fliers at Sam’s place, he won’t mind.”

“Okay.”

“I love you, Nat.”

“No you don’t,”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

“Bye, Buck.”

“Bye.”

Click!

Bucky sighed. She was right, for christ’s sake! He didn’t love her. Not anymore. Not after she cheated on him (and he cheated on her, but he always secretly loved playing the victim.) They should have ended things ages ago, but for some weird reason, they both came crawling back to each other. They were dogs. Sick dogs with gnashing teeth. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Syd and Nancy.

Enough about love, Bucky thought. What he needed was a drink. So he walked the block all the way to Sam’s bar. Sam was Buck’s closest friend. He took him in when he first moved to Olympia, and introduced him to most of the people he was friends with.

When he walked into the Scarlett Falcon, it was, well, dead. Usually, there were at least 5 people during this time of day. Today, though, Bucky counted 3, not including himself and Sam. He sat down at the bar, and Sam walked over.

“Hey man, how are ya?” Sam’s expression was warm, welcoming.

“I’m, okay, I guess. Nat’s been a bitch today,” Sam placed a whiskey glass in front of Bucky. “Thanks man.”

“Any time. Nat’s been a bitch? First off, what’s new, and second- she came in here earlier and she seemed pretty chipper to me. She asked to put up fliers, but didn’t tell me what they were for. Any idea what they were or why she put ‘em up here?” Sam leaned against the bar. Bucky knew Sam was going to ask about the fucking fliers. He didn’t want to tell him, but he was going to have to, right? It was only fair.

“She wants to start a band.” Bucky took a drink of the whiskey.

“Natasha Romanov wants to start a band? Jesus, what terrible timeline are we living in, huh, Barnes?” Bucky knew the voice that came from across the bar. It was Anthony Stark, Olympia’s resident douchebag and playboy.

“Stark, when did your opinions matter on this?” Sam looked down at Anthony. He didn’t like Stark. In fact, most of Olympia didn’t. His father, Howard, was a businessman from New York who moved to the west coast to expand his business. Anthony inherited most of his late father’s fortune, and ended up using most of that money to buy a way overpriced apartment in the center of downtown. He threw extravagant parties with the elite of the Pacific Northwest. He was cocky, self-centered, and extremely attractive. Bucky would never mention that last part to Anthony’s face, though. No one would. Not even Anthony’s girlfriend (whoever she was at that point in time) would.

Luckily, the doors to the bar opened, letting in the cold Washington air. Everyone in the bar turned to look at who walked in, completely ignoring Stark and Bucky’s argument. It was Carol Danvers, a regular at the bar and close friend to both Bucky and Sam.

“The prodigal daughter returns!” Sam announced, even though everyone already knew. Carol walked to the bar. Sam handed the flannel-clad blonde a beer.

“Thanks,” her knuckles were bloody and there was dirt under her fingernails.

“So, uh, Carol-” Sam started to ask her how, but he was interrupted.

“I got into a fight with a cop.” Carol looked at Sam. Bucky noticed her lip had a small cut in it.

“Jesus,” Bucky muttered, sipping his whiskey.

“Yeah. bad idea to begin with, but a good outcome. He won’t be working again for a while.”

“I was gonna ask you why you punched him, but honestly, if Avenger punched someone- it was for a good reason,” Bucky looked at Carol. He respected her, thought she was a badass chick. I mean, who wouldn’t?

“Oh, Buck, I forgot. Tell Nat I’m interested in the flier.” Carol finished off the beer, sat the bottle on the bar, and started to walk out. “Thanks, Sam!”

“No problem.” He smiled as she walked out the bar.

Bucky was tired. He had had the longest day on earth, and it was only 3:30. Sam, apparently, could tell.

“Long day, man?” Most everyone had left at this point or were in their own little worlds.

“Yes.” Sam refilled Bucky’s glass. He tried to cheer him up, but when Bucky was struggling, he was struggling.

Then the worst and best thing ever happened to Bucky Barnes. He walked in.

He was a tall, muscular, blond man. His body made him look like he was a Greek warrior, hand sculpted by the gods. His face, on the other hand, well that was a different story. He looked like a baby, or the human equivalent of a golden retriever. Nevertheless, the stranger sat down at the bar, right next to Bucky. His face was red, and he prayed the stranger (or Sam) couldn’t tell.

“Can I- uh- get a beer?” He was from New York, damn it. Bucky knew it instantly. He always told Sam (and Nat) that he could always tell when someone’s from New York. He could even pinpoint the town. For this handsome man? Brooklyn. You could tell in his posture.

“Sure.” Sam wasn’t big on strangers- let alone people from out of state- walking into his bar.

“Thanks,” The beer was placed in front of the blond. Bucky remembered what the stranger reminded him of- a Baywatch lifeguard.

“What’s your name?” Sam asked. He was leaning against the back of the bar, studying the half boy, half man.

“Steven, Steven Rogers. Most people call me Steve, though.”

“Welcome to Olympia, Steve. Why are you here?” Bucky couldn’t stop looking at the man. He had an incredible side profile, and was wearing a t-shirt that was a bit too small for his arms. Probably on purpose.

“Oh, um. I’m going to college at Evergreen, majoring in music.”

“Shit,” Bucky muttered under his breath. Both Steven and Sam stared at him.

“Everything alright, Buck?” Sam asked, even though he knew the answer was no and that he was in love with this stranger he’d never met. Sam had seen this happen before.

“I- Uh- I gotta go. Nat uhh needed me to help her move some stuff.” Bucky chugged the last bit of whiskey left in his glass, smiled at Sam, and walked to the door. It slammed behind him.

Sam chuckled under his breath.

“Um, if you don’t mind me asking-”

“Sam.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, Sam, who was that?” Oh great, Sam thought. Steve’s in love with him too.

“Him? That’s Bucky Barnes. He’s really well known around here.”

“Why?”

“He’s a badass, that’s why.”

“Oh. H-how does he-”

“He goes both ways, Mr. Rogers,” Sam smiled, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call that son-of-a-bitch and make sure he hasn’t jumped off the Capitol Center.”

Sam disappeared into a backroom, and Steve sat there and realized very quickly he was in love. Something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. And so far? He hated it, thank you very much.


End file.
